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ACCESSIBILITY
 - Parking available
 - Handicapped access
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FACILITIES & SERVICES
 - Restrooms on site
 - Kitchen/food service
 - Friday services
WOMEN'S ACCOMODATIONS
 - No barrier in main hall
 - Barrier in main hall
 - Separate prayer area
 - No women's accomodation
INSIDE SALATOMATIC
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36 reviews by ruhafsa:
Bilal Muslim Community Centre:  This Shia community mainly consists of converts to Islam, many of whom are of Caribbean origin. As such, the programs at this centre, and there are many, are in English. The community is very warm and welcoming and family-friendly/family centered. As a stranger, Sunni sister, I was warmly greeted by the other sisters and the brothers also gave salaams when they passed. Probably because most people here are converts there is a big emphasis on Islamic learning and deepening iman, etc. As part of that focus, as I mentioned before, there are always a lot of speakers coming to this community, halaqahs and classes - all in English. The space itself is a large simply decorated room in the larger Imam Ali Centre. (Posted on October 2, 2007) |
Salahuddin Islamic Centre:  No, brother, the women's carpeting did not appear to have been replaced - old and quite grubby. (Posted on March 17, 2006) |
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| Islamic Society of Willowdale: Mosque is in an office townhouse, so the space is cut up into rooms (offices). Because of this it was difficult to get a sense of how the spaces are used - where the main prayer space is, etc. Mosque appears to occupy 3 levels of the townhouse. Women pray on the second floor, in what would have been a large office. Room is bare except for a few storage boxes. When I was there I heard but did not see men praying further down the hall on this floor. The 1st floor - entrance has a bulletin board filled with community messages and cubbies for shoes. There also seems to be a small prayer room off the entrance - but I did not actually go into this so I can't say for sure. The only person I saw when there was a 30 something South Asian man who directed me to the women's prayer room. Also saw an elderly South Asian man in salwar kameez leaving the mosque when I arrived. I had the feeling that I was being watched by the younger man while I was in the mosque - I couldn't tell if this was because they don't get many strangers, because I am not from the congregation's ethnic group or because I am a woman and they don't get many women attending the mosque. I certainly didn't feel like lingering. That said, the mosque is clean and well-appointed - for that alone it was above average. (Posted on November 9, 2005) |
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| TARIC Islamic Centre: Went here for Eid prayers this year. The mosque building itself is lovely. The location of the mosque is less so, as it backs onto a major highway and is surrounded by parking lots and strip malls. But you don't notice any of that once you are inside. Instead it has subtle modern "Islamic architecture" muted colors - very suited to getting into a prayerful state of mind. For Eid women prayed downstairs so I didn't see the main hall. Everything was very orderly and the mosque volunteers were very polite and friendly. Mosque volunteers were mostly Indo-Caribbean Muslims as was the khattab at my Eid session (there were 3 that day). This is the first GTA mosque where I have seen large numbers of West African Muslims. Everywhere else the African contribution has been East and North African (Somalis, Sudanese, Egyptians, etc.). I also saw a fair number of Southeast Asian Muslims (Malays, Indonesians, etc.). (Posted on November 5, 2005) |
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| Noor Cultural Centre: Turns out that many of the attendees of this mosque are Indians from South Africa. (Posted on November 1, 2005) |
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| Jaffari Islamic Centre: This is a large, well designed masjid. The prayer space is divided down the middle by moveable partitions (like the kind used to form office cubicles). Men pray on the right, women on the left. I went there for an interfaith program - so there were Sunnis, Shia, Jews and Christians in attendance. The way the room is set up made it possible for both men and women to see the speakers with equal ease without having to see one another. The walls of the main space are decorated with vividly colored photos of famous masajid. There is also a separate room devoted to stylized models of masajid. The wall leading to the mihrab is decorated with the kalima in gold plus Ali's and Fatima Zahra's names. When I was there there was a large banner also hanging there that read "Live like Ali (a.s.), die like Hussain (a.s.)." There are prayer garments as well as clay seals available for anyone who wants to use them for prayer. This was my second or third time in a Shia mosque - everyone at this one was really welcoming and helpful. Most of the mosque regulars are South Asian (from the Khoja community). It's not a hardcore hijabi group - sort of half and half. The resident maulana who spoke as part of the program was eloquent and insightful - even though I don't think he is a native speaker his English was excellent. The basement of the masjid (a large space) is used for children's and youth programs. The night I was there they had a well-attended Qur'an reading competition for girls. Upstairs there was one for boys as well. Later that night they were having a sleep-over women's program. In short, this seems like a very active mosque. (Posted on November 1, 2005) |
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| Islamic Society of Richmond Hill: This is a tiny mosque community. When I was there there were maybe 30 brothers present. It's located in a basement space in a small strip mall. When I walked down the stairs I was suprised to find such a small masjid and no sisters. But the brothers were very warm and welcoming and offered me a clean, decent sized room to pray in - I think they usually use it for storage and as a coat room. When it was time to break fast someone brought me a plate of yummy appetizers and a cup of juice. For iftar, again someone brought me a plate - this time fried chicken and fries. I didn't really interact with any of the brothers. They gave me my space. But as I said before they were very welcoming and considerate of me all the same. I don't know whether this mosque is only for one ethnic community - I don't even know whether this is a Sunni or Shia mosque. If I were a brother and lived in this area, I might consider attending this mosque. How we treat strangers is really important. (Posted on November 1, 2005) |
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Salahuddin Islamic Centre:  Women pray in a balcony overlooking the main (men's) prayer space. It's a long, narrow space. When I was there it wasn't enough space for all of the women who wanted to pray and sisters ended up praying on the landing and stairs next to it. You can hear what is going on below but cannot see any of it unless you are right up close to the balcony. Grubby carpeting could use a steam cleaning or replacement. The balcony is walled in with thin plexiglass - solidly constructed but not that attractive. The space below is several times larger - kind of like a high school gym. Decoration in both spaces is sparse. Sister's balcony contains a bookshelf, stuffed with books. The mosque building is very large, encompassing an Islamic school and gymnasium space as well as prayer rooms. The attendees in the women's section when I was there were largely Somali and Arab. Okay, mosque but not the best space or access for sisters and very well-worn. (Posted on November 1, 2005) |
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| Masjid al-Jamia: This is in response to the sister's post because she is a new Muslima. Find another masjid to attend where you will not be shamed when you come to pray - to turn you away from prayer is a serious matter. Insha'Allah this conduct did not in any way erode your iman and you are still striving in Islam. When you attend another masjid and are actually allowed to pray you will notice sisters wearing a variety of clothing styles appropriate for prayer. If Masjid al-Jamia has a rule about exactly what a sister should wear (in this case, a minimum $40 - because this is what they cost - jilbab or abaya) with an attendant gatekeeper deciding who can pray and who cannot then they should provide outergarments enough for every sister who wants to pray there. (Posted on August 28, 2005) |
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| Imadul Islam Center: Brother Malik was right about Imadadul Islam being a really peaceful place to pray. The men's prayer space includes an arched mihrab and a beautifully carved wooden minbar. The men's space is divided from the women's by a long bank of doors (the kind of simple indoor door often used for bath or bedrooms) so unless they are open there is no way for women to observe or participate in what is happening in the main space. With the doors closed the women's space is a lot like someone's finished basement. Good to hear that they are often open. Both spaces are well-kept, clean and comfortable and men and women at this masjid are friendly and welcoming and it has a very relaxed, family feel. There is quite a bit of community space at Imadadul as well. The core group at the masjid are Guyanese whose ancestors were from India. (Posted on August 28, 2005) |
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| Islaamic Information Centre: This is a hardcore (self-identified) Salafi group. They always have a lot of classes and lectures going on at the centre. (Posted on August 26, 2005) |
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Baitul Mukaram Islamic Society:  NOT A MASJID FOR WOMEN. I had a horrible, humiliating experience when I went there today for jummah. I followed the sign that indicated that women pray on the lower level. In the basement there were a number of small carpeted rooms that looked as if they also serve as classroom space. There were quite a few brothers down there - so I chose an unoccupied room. Women obviously do not usually come here, not surprising given the demographics of the mosque. Many of the men looked really startled to see me. One brother was really helpful to me, alhamdullilah and patiently answered my questions about the mosque. Things went downhill when he directed me to the designated women's prayer area - a small, dank room in a corner of the basement that smelled heavily of mildew. Half of the room was taken up by trash - construction debris, an old soiled prayer cap, various plastic bags - real trash. What horrible conditions for prayer - the awful smell, the mound of trash right next to me as I made my salat, the inability to hear (the room seemed as if it was once a bank vault or something like that; it even had a metal door). Nevertheless, I thought, I had walked this far and would endure it this time. Having bad allergies though I was not able to continue to sit in the mildew cell before prayer actually started. Instead I sat just outside of the room. I figured that even if this was an ultra-conservative mosque that this should not disturb anyone since 1) I was heavily covered and 2) my only "companions" were little boys also waiting for the prayer to begin. What made me think that? Soon an officious brother appeared and told me to get back into the room that there were "People passing by"- God forbid they should see a heavily covered woman. I told him about the trash and the smell - he said he would get a fan - which I thought would only make things worse. I thanked him and started to leave. As I left, the brother who had helped me initially asked if I was leaving and listened to what I had to say about the "accomodations." He recommended that I go to Sunnatul Jamaat which he said was not far away and even told me which bus to take from where we were. Thank God for that brother!! Other than the brother trying to shove me into that nasty little room he was the only one who bothered with me at all. If you are a Bengali speaking brother you may find the experience of Baitul Mukaram wonderful - it was packed to the gills with brothers - SISTERS STAY AWAY. (Posted on August 26, 2005) |
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| Sunnatul Jamaat of Ontario: This mosque is in a converted warehouse/loading dock facility. As such, it is a huge building. Half of the building is devoted to prayer space - the other half to kitchens, the mosque office and as yet undefined open space. It is obvious that they are still renovating the building. There is minimal decor in the prayer spaces - white walls and striped green carpeting. Most of the people who attend this mosque have origins in the subcontinent. The core are Guyanese and Trinidadians whose ancestors came from India, but I also caught snippets of Urdu and Bengali being spoken. The women's prayer area is about 1/4 of the men's but this being a huge building, that is a lot of space. It is clean and bright and looks to be the equivalent of the men's prayer space. There is actually more natural light in the woman's area because it has more windows. The men and women are separated by a drywall wall about 6 feet tall. So, as a woman it is not possible to see any of what is going on in the men's prayer area although the khutba is quite audible. There are TVs set up, I assume to allow women to see what is going on - but while they were on when I was there the video camera that feeds them was not being operated so they displayed only static. The khutba was in English, alhamdullilah, and the duas were in English and Arabic. After prayer, a Pakistani couple sold perfumes, headscarfs, abayas, Islamic tapes and books, etc. from a table in the large, open common area. Women from the community sold various curries and boxes of Popeye's chicken. Water was available for the thirsty from large filtered water coolers and a drinking fountain. The bath/wudu rooms were rudimentary but clean. There is no wheelchair ramp but there is only a small step up into the building which is all on one level. So, if you can get someone to help you with the one step you can access everything else from there easily. Nice comfortable space for sisters, if you do not mind not being able to see. (Posted on August 26, 2005) |
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| Mariyan Musallah: This is clearly a musallah mostly used by local (MALE) shopkeepers and apartment dwellers. It is fairly small musallah but does not feel cramped and is clean and has a peaceful feel. There is however only one small bathroom and one sink outside it for making wudu and limited space for setting aside shoes. After I made wudu in the cramped, wet bathroom, I had to wait while some brothers stowed their shoes before I could go to pray - the hallway is that small. It doesn't seem as if women usually go there at all. When my friend and I showed up, the elderly male caretaker became very flustered. After much wringing of hands and fumbling with keys, he finally directed us to what looked like a classroom off the main prayer space. This was comfortable and clean - though had we come for jumah we would not have been able to see or hear the prayers. Not the best introduction to Islam for my non-Muslim friend. Not really woman friendly space, but because an earnest attempt was made to accomodate us and no one was unpleasant, if I were in the area to shop I would go there again at prayer time. (Posted on August 25, 2005) |
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Islamic Center of America: This mosque is actually on Ford Road - the old masjid was on Joy Road. It is difficult to get to, especially at night. My husband and I could see it, since as you can see from the picture it is impressive and dominates everything around it, but could not get to it for some time (it's located on a weird little offshoot of the Ford Road parkway). Hard to explain. Anyway, it was well worth the hunt, the masjid is beautiful inside and out and brand new. Marble, brass and plush carpets everywhere inside. The main prayer space is round - a circular corridor wraps around it. Men's and women's wudu/bathroom space radiates off this. This space is wonderful and very clean - they have spray attachments for cleaning oneself in each bathroom stall and the wudu area is really well appointed, too.
Women pray in the main space behind the men - though there is a separate, comfortable, lovely balcony area for those women who want to pray separately. There are signs throughout the masjid reminding people to dress Islamically and directing them to things/services they might need. A lot of attention has obviously been given to designing a beautiful, comfortable and functional masjid. Prayer garments for women are available in niches all around the main and balcony prayer spaces for women who want to use them. Prayer beads and (since this is a Shia mosque) prayer tablets are available at the prayer space entrances. There are Qur'ans available downstairs and upstairs (more downstairs) - unfortunately there did not seem to be any translations. We came just after Isha jamah. Praying in this mosque was a really peaceful, centering experience. Although we are Sunni (and so pray differently from the Shia congregation) no one hassled us and in fact people were very welcoming. One sister who didn't speak English clasped my hand and smiling gave her salaams. A nice place to worship if you are Shia or not focused on the Sunni-Shia schism. (Posted on July 23, 2005) |
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Al-Farooq Mosque: This community is in the process of building a new mosque. It looks as if they have finished the parking structure so far. Men and women pray in the same room with a divider (wrought iron folding screens with cloth panels). From the women's side you can only see through to the other side if you are very close to a gap in the dividers. Women's space is about a fourth of the room and looks to be as clean as the men's space. The masjid library (several bookshelves) is on the men's side - inaccessible to women. The men's wudu area includes seating, spigots, etc. The women must make do with a handicapped bathroom. Because there is only one of these there was a line to make wudu before the prayer and I missed the beginning of the jamah. The bathroom was not the cleanest - one sister warned me not to wear my socks in there. Insha'Allah in the new masjid women will get their fair share in terms of toilet/wudu facilities and books.
People at the masjid were friendly although it is obviously one of those masjids where men do not usually give salaams to women - I did manage however, to get a brother to look for my husband when it was time to go. At some other conservative masajid I would have had to search out a child to do this for me.
That said this masjid has excellent halaqas. Apparently, every Sunday, they hold simultaneous male and female halaqas. The female halaqa is in the community room adjacent to the prayer space, the men's is held in the prayer space (some women sit in on this from behind the women's partition). The women's halaqa I attended was excellent - the tafsir we considered really helped to bring out the deep meaning of the Qur'anic surahs we studied. The sisters seemed earnest and eager to deepen their faith. The halaqa seems to be broken into two parts - the first part Qur'an/tafsir focused and the second more shariah/aqidah based. My husband reported that the brother's halaqa was also excellent and touched on important themes. I would attend this masjid, for the halaqa (particularly the tafsir portion) alone, if we lived in Atlanta. (Posted on July 23, 2005) |
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| Islamic Center of Greater Toledo: Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to enter this mosque. I did however, see it from highway 75 North. You cannot miss it. It dominates the cornfields around it and is incredibly beautiful. It has been designed to be seen from the highway. A prominent sign labels it for highway travelers. I keep wondering what non-Muslim Toledo residents who regularly pass it think... (Posted on July 23, 2005) |
| Harvard Islamic Society: Not much to say about this musallah - it's quiet. No real decoration. Men and women pray in the same small space. Since it is quiet and the lights are often out it can be a good place for focused prayer or reading of the Qur'an. You do need an access card to get in - but people are constantly in and out of the building so if you need somewhere to pray and are in the area just wait until someone comes along and holds the gate and doors for you. Nearby bathrooms are nice and are clean. (Posted on June 20, 2005) |
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| Islamic Center of New England: I have not seen the men's prayer space since the women pray in a separate room in another part of the building. The masjid is in an industrial area, near the Quincy dockyards. There is parking at the masjid but not enough for all of the people who attend so people end up blocking each other and sometimes even the masjid entrance. The women's space was tidy, but definitely well-worn and a bit grubby. Because it is so separate there is no chance of directly seeing or hearing the imam. And the room alloted when I was there was small enough that we prayed in shifts. The masjid is doing fundraising now, insha'Allah for renovations/refreshing of the masjid and insha'Allah they will not forget the women's areas. (Posted on June 17, 2005) |
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| Islamic Center of Boston: The name of this mosque is a bit of a misnomer since it is actually located about 30 minutes outside of the city in woodsy Wayland. Strong points of this masjid are its egalitarian membership and leadership structure (it is easy to become a voting member of the mosque and there are even youth memberships available and the elected leadership team rotates regularly), its emphasis on classes, lectures, seminars, discussions, etc. for adults and children, its dedication to interfaith work and the strong sense of community here. It also isn't a place for extremes and associated fitna. The congregation is largely Indian/Pakistani, then Arab. A lot of doctors, engineers and other white collar professionals, for what it is worth. Folks are very friendly. As soon as you enter you will be greeted by salaams by anyone who happens to be around and there is always someone to answer a question or just to make a stranger feel at home. A really, warm welcoming atmosphere. There are quite a few families with children here and the community integrates the children into the life of the masjid. Women pray behind men in the main prayer hall. They are undergoing extensive renovations but it looks as if this will remain the same. Bathrooms were clean and well-kept. The building was simple but well-maintained. There were several classrooms for the Sunday school when I worshipped there and it looks as if these facilities will be expanded in the new building and that they will also be creating a large library. Even if you cannot get here on a regular basis for prayer, this is a good place to visit for lectures, discussions and workshops, etc. - always well organized and thought-provoking. Also, a good place, insha'Allah to take children. (Posted on June 16, 2005) |
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| MIT Musallah: This musallah is pretty convenient for any Muslim who finds him/herself in that part of Cambridge or in the Back Bay area of Boston. Actually from anywhere on the Red Line since it is very accessible from there. There is also a bus that passes right in front of the building. It's generally a pleasant place to pray - the room and attached wudu space are clean and well-maintained and when few people are around it is a very calm, peaceful atmosphere. There are actual tiled wudu facilities, not just sinks. It can, however, be awkward to pray there as a woman. The woman's wudu space partially divides the men's part of the musallah from the women's area but there is no entrance to the women's wudu area from the women's side. So, a sister wishing to make wudu must go through the brother's entrance just past (the often open brother's wudu room door) to get to the sister's facilities. Also, most of the musallah's books and it's active bulletin board are on the men's side. When I have crossed over to access these I have been glared at by brothers. On the other hand the brothers are also often not respectful of the female space and trespass into it. When the masjid fills up the women are left with less than a quarter of the space. Besides being uncomfortable, this can make it very difficult for sisters to enter and leave - since there is often no other path than through praying sisters - not really an option. There is also the usual issue with a small prayer space of being able to hear those who insist on praying loudly. Fine place for brothers to pray, and good place for sisters if you are praying when few people are there or can tolerate the inconveniences I mentioned. (Posted on June 16, 2005) |
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| Islamic Foundation of Toronto: You can't miss this masjid, either architecturally or in terms of its activities in the community. It serves as a space for community service work and lectures and is the headquarters for the New Muslims Support Group/P4e, an active reverts GTA group. As such a strong contingent of reverts are regulars at this mosque. The regulars tend to be on the conservative side - women in face veils and abaya, bearded men in shalwar kameez or Arab robes. Men tend to avoid speaking to women who are not related to them so if you are female and new to the masjid and/or have a question and there are no women around you are pretty much out of luck. The same issue comes up in other matters where interaction between males and females be necessary. The sisters are friendly and eager to help. The usual mix of S. Asians and Arabs, though since this is a center for converts activities there are also a lot of black and white Canadians here, too. Inside the mosque is pretty cavernous with large functions rooms and several floors. Women pray on an upper floor in a glassed in balcony room that overlooks the main (men's) prayer space. From what I could see, the men's space is light and airy and looked like a peaceful place in which to pray. The women's prayer room is pretty utilitarian and the women tend to pray in the dark - off-putting for some and objectionable if it is so to protect the males below from any chance of glimpsing the heavily veiled women above. I found the plain-ness and darkness of the room helped me focus my prayers. The sisters seemed pretty earnest in their prayer focus as well, which helped, alhamdullilah. The bathrooms are clean. The masjid is easy to get to by car, not as accesible by public transit. There are two bus lines which pass it, but they do not run late, so if one stays late for an event, it is necessary to try to secure a ride from one of the other participants. Not my favorite GTA masjid, but definitely one worth going to for its many programs. (Posted on June 16, 2005) |
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The Qur'an & Sunnah Society of Canada:  This masjid is hard to find since it occupies basement space in a busy strip mall. It is located in the popular Lawrence Muslim/Arab store area. The masjid is very simply laid out and decorated. Basically one big room out of which some bathroom/wudu space, an office and a curtained off women's space has been created. The mosque is bright and clean but has a strong mildew smell. The odor really got to me as I kept imagining black mold behind the walls. There must be some kind of moisture problem - not surprising since it is a basement space. Insha'Allah they will do something to fix it, since breathing in mildew/mold cannot be too healthy. The mosque seems more like one of those masajid frequented by brothers working in the area rather than a community mosque. There is however, a fairly comfortable if walled-off (this is a salafi mosque) women's area. It is about a quarter of the mosque space and cordened off by floor to ceiling heavy opaque curtains. Communications to the brothers outside the curtained area are conveyed through children. The brothers do not trespass into the designated women's space. The sisters and brothers I encountered here were nice if very conservative. Because of the mildew odor and because I am not of the salafi minhaj, I would only visit this masjid again if I were in the area and I found nowhere else to pray. (Posted on June 16, 2005) |
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| Islamic Society of Boston: This is really the only option for prayer in Cambridge if you are not going to go to one of the university MSA musallahs. And as another brother mentioned it is pretty accesible - short walk from the Central Square subway station and it has ample parking. The masjid is beautifully decorated on the outside, pretty plain and utilitarian on the inside. It gets a lot of use and that shows with things such as the carpeting, particularly in the women's area, where little children tend to run wild and spill juice and food in the prayer space. The men's prayer space is much better maintained. Because men and women pray on different floors if the PA system is not working it is not possible to hear the imam. Women sometimes pray or sit (to listen to lectures) on the main (men's) floor behind dividers. The core congregation is strongly Arabic - mostly from the Maghreb and Egypt, but there are of course other ethnic groups represented. Because the mosque demographic is widening more programs led by native English speakers would be welcome. It is not uncommon for brothers to use the "women's entrance" at the back of the masjid and it can sometimes be difficult to get simple things done or draw attention to matters when brothers are reluctant to deal with, even in a cursory way, unrelated women. Given that women and their children make up a good portion of the mosque's users it would be good to have women represented more in the mosque administration. (Posted on June 16, 2005) |
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| Masjid al-Farah: Beautiful mosque in a small building. It is easy to miss in the strip of small shops where it is nestled. Men and women prayer in the same small prayer space, men in the front, women in the back. There are a number of converts who attend. The vibe at this mosque is a welcoming, family feeling, even during Jumah when it is packed to the gills. Smiles and salaams are common here. The community holds dinners and other events on the floors above the prayer space. The second floor is also where the bathrooms are - they are clean, well-kept and attractive, in keeping with the rest of the masjid. Definitely a pleasant masjid to worship in. (Posted on June 15, 2005) |
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| Islamic Society of Mid-Manhattan: This mosque is utilitarian. I looks as if it has been converted from apartments and is still basically laid out that way with space divided among different floors. If you work in mid-Manhattan it's a good, easy bet. You can be in and out and back to work quickly. Women's juma space is like in what would be a living room on in an upper floor apartment if the building were still apartments. Looks like a living room. Bathroom (clean) is like a powder room in an apartment. Nothing special, but comfortable. Other sisters nice and civil, but no real community feeling, since a lot of the sisters attending simply work or shop in the area. (Posted on June 15, 2005) |
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| Islamic Cultural Center of New York: Beautiful, clean and comfortable. It is however, the only mosque that I've been to in which other sisters warned me to watch my bag and shoes. But I guess if you have a completely open access building in NYC you have to worry about stuff like that. The wudu area is very nice and quite clean. The women are separated from the men during prayer into cubicles/rooms by floor to ceiling opaque curtains. I haven't actually been there for jumuah so I don't know how things work then. I found the little rooms to be really peaceful spaces in which to pray, probably less distracting than the brothers' space where people are constantly coming and going. (Posted on June 15, 2005) |
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| Mosque of Shaykh Bawa Muhaiyudeen: I visited this mosque for Eid ul Fitr weekend one year. It is a relatively small mosque. Men and women pray in the same room. Women occupy one small corner of the mosque and sit in a lace curtained enclosure. The mosque was packed each time I prayed there and it was soon pretty stifling in the women's space because it is so small and enclosed and there was little space in which to move. The men's situation seemed better. Visibility was low from the women's section but all could hear the imam as it is such a small masjid. The mosque community is very warm and welcoming of outsiders and tolerant of a range of perspectives. Many of the regulars are converts. Sisters were very friendly. The khutbah was in English, but the imam (a revert) appeared to also have a good command of Arabic and to be knowledgeable. For Eid the mosque community set up huge food tents and fed anyone who came (biryani, curries, desserts) for free and gave children little goodie bags as well. Definitely a nice community and I would visit and pray there again. (Posted on June 15, 2005) |
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| Masjid Toronto: Nothing super special about the decor of the masjid. Since it is centrally located it gets a lot of use and it does show. Khutbas are in English which is great. Main prayer space (men's area) is large and airy. The women's prayer space is large enough for the need but is rather dingy. Women cannot see or hear the imam unless the speakers/TV are working. Alhamdullilah, speaking for the women's area there is always a warm, welcoming feeling from the sisters who are regulars. Because of the location, the egalitarian feel of the masjid (the khateebs are rotated) and the fact that the khutba is in English this is my husband's favorite masjid. I rate it okay - I don't feel uncomfortable there and sisters are welcoming but women's space could be better (less grubby and dingy) and I prefer to be able to see and hear the imam/khateeb. (Posted on June 14, 2005) |
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| Turkish Islamic Centre: This masjid is incredibly beautiful and rather spacious. There is carved woodwork, chandeliers and rich fabrics everywhere. The women's section is a balcony area above the main (men's) prayer space, so it is possible to hear, and see if one wishes the prayer leader or khateeb, and this can be done without being seen from below. The women's space is lushly carpeted and as nice as the space below, there is a box of hijabs and abayas/jilbabs in the space for those who do not usually wear hijab or want to cover more - a nice touch since non-Muslim women interested in Islam are not always prepared. Since almost everyone who goes here is Turkish, people did stare a bit at us, but were also friendly enough to invite us to a dinner the mosque was sponsoring in the community centre next door. I wished this mosque felt less like an ethnic club and more open but I also really liked it - particularly the feeling given by the women's space that there women are considered equal believers and worshippers. Maybe more non-Turks should start to attend. (Posted on June 14, 2005) |
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| Downtown Mosque: I consider this mosque simply a convenient (because of its central location) place for brothers to pray. I did not even see the main (men's) prayer space so I cannot comment on it. But the building was clearly not built as a mosque and is of very basic construction. The women's area such as it is is a very very small room - the size of some closets - though to be fair , its furnishings seem to suggest that it is normally some kind of classroom. The women's area was extremely uncomfortable. There were several of us jammed into a very small space that is not usually used for prayer and that was unbearably hot (it was not summer). It took a while to extract from the brothers where the women's space was and I was nearly knocked down by them both on the way into the tiny room and on the way out (since the room opens onto the only stairwell). There would be problems if there were a fire. The women could definitely not see the khateeb or imam and not hear well either. If I had had a small child with me, things would have been even more difficult as there was no room for a child to move about. In short, as a woman, I would never attend this mosque again. It would be adequate for a brother who works in that area and just needs to get his salat/jumah done. (Posted on June 14, 2005) |
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| Albanian Muslim Society: My husband and I started going to this mosque one Ramadan for taraweeh because it was convenient to our West End apartment. We really loved it. The prayer space is relatively small but beautifully decorated - the mihrab is carved wood, the space is softly carpeted. Men and women pray in the same space with sisters praying behind the brothers. The imam spoke in Albanian so we could not benefit from what he said but from the reactions to what he was saying he seemed to be saying relevant and moving things. And also seemed to have a sense of humor. Taraweeh was a real workout as the congregation did the maximum amount of rakats. The sisters were very welcoming to me even though I am clearly of another ethnicity and don't speak their language. Even sisters who only spoke Albanian made an effort to make me feel at home by smiling, touching my arm, etc. My husband said that the brothers were just as friendly. One of the teenage boys even ended up helping him sometimes by translating. We were even invited to their laylat ul qadir night in the second floor masjid hall and once again people were very warm and welcoming and there was a lot of food. I remember this community very fondly and if it were closer to where I live now I would continue to go there language differences notwithstanding. (Posted on June 14, 2005) |
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Islamic Information and Dawah Centre: This masjid is easily accessible by TTC. It's about one block west of the Dufferin station. Since it is on a first floor it is also wheelchair accessible. In fact, the brother who runs their bookstore is in a wheelchair, I believe.
As mentioned above, the mosque space includes a well-stocked bookstore and there are always free Islamic informational booklets and materials around the masjid. The decor of the masjid is very simple (it's a converted storefront) but it is clean and someone obviously pays attention to even little touches such as the plants on either side of the mihrab. Sister's bathroom is just functional and suffers from the usual masjid disease of being wet all the time. The prayer space of the masjid is essentially one large room. The women's area takes up about a quarter length of the room and is separated from the brother's space by a trellis divider. There is also a section of the women's area where there is a solid divider. This means that all of the sisters can hear the imam and khateeb and those who wish to see as well can easily do so without being easily seen. The women's space is large enough to accomodate little kids's wanderings. In my experience here women have as much access to whatever is being shared out or experienced as the brothers do. If there is a meal for example, we are sometimes served first and never forgotten, which is a welcome switch. For Eid the mosque gives out balloons to children. The khutbas are in English and of very high quality - well thought out, relevant to ones life. The congregation is mixed - some Arabs, some Guyanese Indians, some Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Somalis as well as converts. The sisters are fairly welcoming here - particularly the older sisters who are regulars there. A comfortable space for converts. (Posted on June 14, 2005) |
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| Madina Masjid: This mosque is one of the most well-known in Toronto. It's easily accessible from the subway. It is a strongly Pakistani mosque. The women pray in the basement. The space is accessible from a back door. The women's entrance was not obvious - I had to ask a little girl. I have no idea what the men's space looks like. There is no shelving for women's shoes so they end up clogging the stairs. I had the misfortune of needing to do wudu there before prayer. The women's bathrooms (also in the basement) were atrocious, small and dirty. Toilet is really the word to use for them. The sisters who attend jumua are almost all South Asian and it seems mostly Pakistani. It seemed as if most of the sisters did not speak English and as a non-South Asian I was not welcomed - not even a salaam from anyone. I felt very excluded simply because I was not of their ethnicity. As the space is in the basement there is no chance of seeing the imam or khateeb or of hearing them directly and the space is dingy - like what it is, a basement room. The khutba was less than inspired and didn't address any of the issues that Muslims are actually dealing with - was just very traditional about some point of fiqh. I would not go here again unless I found myself in the area at prayer time and had nowhere else to go. The brothers' experience might be very different. (Posted on June 14, 2005) |
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| Bosnian Islamic Association: This mosque is located in an industrial type area - the other buildings around are all businesses such as parts distributers. As such the outside of the building doesn't look much like a mosque. Inside, however, the Bosnian community has transformed this 1950s/1960s building into a beautiful mosque. The prayer area is lushly carpeted and the mihrab area benefits from beautiful carvings and calligraphy. There are other such touches throughout the building. My husband and I went there for a marriage program they were hosting. In introducing the program the imam basically said that they were on a mission to reach out more to/work more with the larger GTA Muslim community. For the program there were three areas of screened off seating - one for brothers, one for sisters and an area for families/couples. It was nice to be able to sit with my husband. Prayer space - Men and women pray in the same large room. There is no barrier, sisters pray behind the brothers. Off to one side of the prayer hall there is a room set aside for small children. I think that while we prayed they had someone there to watch them. The women's bathrooms and separate wudu room were very clean and well-appointed - way above average. My experience of this mosque was of warm and friendly people. Not being Bosnian didn't seem a bar and although I was a stranger there I didn't feel that way. Another nice thing about this masjid is that there is a real community feeling here and children are included in the running of the masjid. It was children, for example, who sold us our tickets for the event and children who we saw helping to set up the tables and chairs for the event - plus one of their youth groups was meeting around the same time we were there. It will be important to the future of Islam in N. America that the youth feel involved and a sense of ownership in our masajid. From the posters around the masjid, this mosque is very involved in charity work here, and especially in Bosnia - they even sponsor orphans according the the literature I saw. This probably wouldn't be the mosque for you if you are salafi because of the fact that quite a few of the women in the congregation do not wear hijab outside of prayer times and programs such as the young people's Bosnian folk dance troupe would make you uncomfortable. If this mosque were closer to where I live I would go regularly. Unfortunately, if you do not have a car it takes a subway ride and long bus ride to get there. (Posted on June 14, 2005) |
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| Noor Cultural Centre: This has got to be the most controversial mosque in Toronto right now. The mosque has hosted some controversial speakers such as Amina Wadud and women and men pray in the same prayer space at Noor with women praying on one side and men on the other with no barrier in between. Though it should be said that many of their events are not controversial at all. Still not a mosque for Salafis. There were rumors in the community that Noor is an Ismaili masjid - but according to the mosque administration this is not the case. While it is true that some prominent members of the mosque board grew up Ismaili, Noor is trying to be a mosque open to all kinds of Muslims. Architecturally, the mosque is beautiful, it was apparently so when it was the Japanese Cultural Centre and has continued to be so after renovations to make it a mosque. It has a very peaceful, meditative feel architecturally. The congregation is largely S. Asian, well-to-do, and middle aged. The people there are very warm and friendly. Most of the women dress conservatively (long sleeves, long skirts/trousers, etc.) but do not wear hijab full-time. Men are mostly business casual and clean-shaven. Someone almost always greets a newcomer as they enter. People are friendly and will initiate conversation with a new face. One of my friends described the feel for better or for worse as that of a church in these respects. So far, there are few young single people or young married people with children at Noor. I also haven't seen any teenagers. I also would say that it isn't really kid-friendly space. While there is almost always babysitting provided (at a cost) during their events - if someone is on a fixed budget and used to other mosques where it is normal to see children wandering around during prayer or a lecture or to hear them it will not seem very child-friendly. I have not prayed there during jumah or with men present so I cannot comment on how the side by side shared prayer arrangement works. I found that the soothing way in which the prayer space is appointed helped me to focus my salat. Noor is a new mosque so at the moment it seems to be functioning more as a venue for lectures and activities rather than a full-service mosque with classes and services. The mosque is accessible by either the Flemingdon Park or Eglington buses. (Posted on June 14, 2005) |
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